7. The Million Dollar Question? How Long Does Stroke Recovery Take?

Hi my name is Schmierer Welcome back to another episode of local survivor podcast in today's episode, we're going to be talking about the number one question I get every single day when I talked to other survivors every is the most common question when you book on the internet. It is the most research. It is clearly the question. Everybody asks, when they get started on a recovery journey, myself included, I remember being at the hospital asked me this question. And I will tell you, it is a not the answer you want to the question I get the number one question on the board. Without question without bow, when it comes to stroke, and brain injury recovery is how long does the recovery process take? And the answer? Much like I bet, if I, if I asked you to put money on it, probably would guess is the recovery process question. The answer is, it depends. However, nobody ever actually explained. See you as a stroke survivor as a brain injury survivor. What does that actually mean? The reason it depends, I will tell you my, my take definitely depends because again, this is very annoying. People say this all the time. It's very dependent on the situation, and fit into a lot of things on this episode. But before I do that, I want to just mention one more thing. If you are interested in becoming a part of the survivor science community, please head over to VIP dot survivor science.com. It is the community I am in the process of building. And if you are a listener of this podcast, if you are a fan, or interested in finding more resources, maybe you're tired of forums online. If you're just tired of his podcast feed, I think it's going to be a great resource for ELO survivors have really any major medical life event. I in particular, the brain injury survivor group, just because stroke is a brain injury, actually, stroke is the second leading cause of death and disability worldwide, which is something I honestly did not know until recently, doing research for this podcast, I had been so focused on my own journey and talking to others and sort of beginning that process of building out a community that I never realized. How, how broad globally, stroke is when it comes to you, both death and disability. So that was surprising to me. Anyways, VIP that survivor science sakam that we kind of stay in the know and in the loop. And if you're interested in joining when we launched, you know, definitely sign up there because that is how you will find out other than this podcast. So again, in today's episode, we're going to talk about a big question on the board, which is how long does recovery take? And the answer? Like I said, it depends. However, I'm going to kind of tell it from my perspective and why it depends. And, you know, I think it's easy to ignore the medical professionals sometimes because we get so entwined with our own story, our own specific outlook, that, you know, that, that that sort of timing definitely is a valid question and concern, I think for any survivor. Well, I will tell you it is a long process. And if it is anything short of a long process, you are very lucky. So we're going to look at it, you know, because I'm going into my fourth year of being a survivor now that I'm gonna go through kind of the expectations, expectations and shortcomings that I had in year One, year two, year three, just to kind of give you a broad sense of how long it can take. And before we jump in, I will remind you that it is a lot like I said, it's a long arduous process. And honestly, this episode is a little late being recorded, because last week, I had a little hiccup unexpectedly that caught me off guard last week. And now my kids are on spring break. So things are busy things are happening around the house. You might even hear some background noise today, unfortunately. But um, yeah, you know, I think along the way you learn how to deal with adversity, you pick up skills, you learn how to deal with hurdles, and hiccups, or whatever you want to call them are useful skills. But this definitely doesn't make things easier along the way. So one of the things I want to touch on in today's episode, or why people say it depends, is because it genuinely depends. I think it depends, because you may have pre existing health conditions that you either are aware of or weren't aware of prior to a stroke or brain injury that will kind of set the table. So I had a lot of things wrong with me, that I was unaware of prior to my stroke. My medical chart down here in Florida is is is a very long chart. There are many things wrong, I had undiagnosed COPD. As one thing you know, I had been I had my stroke in December of 2018. Two months later, I got diagnosed with cirrhosis. That was a double whammy. So of course, my journey is going to be unique, because I believe that I've met another stroke survivor that has MS. Yeah. So again, I do want to remind everybody, prior to my stroke, I was sort of a closeted, functional alcoholic. I'm not saying that, to brag, that's not meant to be anything other than just kind of let us know that, you know, a former cigarette smoker. Now those things are helpful. certainly played a part in the stroke certainly played a part in the MS. Now I was overweight. So I was unraveling White, a few things. In the beginning, and I'm still kind of unraveling, I think half of my journey might be different. Because you know, you take stroke, and you take those handful of things I just mentioned, and you start the long journey to recover. It's gonna take some patience, perseverance, to take support. It's going to take a lot of things that can take, you know, reassessing my life, where I wanted to go, what I want to do so I think those are just some early indicators that can have a significant impact both on your recovery and how long it's gonna take. There were some other factors as smoking and drinking obviously, is not ideal that had led to some really issues. My stroke was not a brain hemorrhage. It was it was ischemic stroke. So now my heart was up pumping enough. That's why the bug back out off brain. undiagnosed sleep apnea was things so again, it's quite a process you may not have as long as a list of things as I had. I hope you don't tell us the really long it's worthwhile, but it is long. And it is so going. And oh my word my recovery continues. Yeah, so I think the first few days and weeks and the first year really is about getting stable. Now for me stable means I'm listening to doctors, I was taking medications, I was making significant changes in my life, not like some more drastic, some are immediately necessary, like No more drinking, no more smoking, those things are cut out of my life. Which I'm eternally grateful for, in a sense, I don't think anybody wants to have a stroke stop being a drinker or a smoker. But you know, now I'm looking back in the rearview three plus years It is, and I'm grateful for it, I, I just, I got lucky, kind of in that sense that like, I don't struggle with no longer drinking or smoking, I just have no, I have no interest in either of those activities. So I don't have to go to a good I don't know if fully out of the weeds, but like I have no desire to drink or smoke. So that sense stroke really saved my life. But the first year is incredibly difficult. We've talked about a number of times of this podcast, you know, there's that initial wave. What's happened when it comes to dealing with some deficits of a long time, I was about a year to start walking confidently at a year and a half to start driving. These are things that can happen quicker. For some people, you don't have as many health issues, I was trying to resolve a bunch of things. While not only dealing with stroke, and going back to work, and raising a family, I had a daughter going out and my daughter graduated high school in 2021, as she was going into her senior year, first COVID, it was a lot of things. People have talked about over a dozen. Brave bravely. So that has been a difficult thing for the entire world. In my case, it was just another thing I have on. Yeah, that first year is about getting stable. I was taking medications, I'm still taking medications. In fact, I forgot to medication last week, which is why I always had a little bit of an episode. So there are things that happen along the way. Even when you're doing things like running and actively working on yourself and trying to get healthy and eat right. There's still IPS now that you weren't expecting along the way. You know, so that is something I didn't think I'd have to worry about. But it was a good reminder that you need to be cognizant of what's going on around you. Yeah, me it sounds silly that I would forget to I refill the prescription last week, I got the prescription. And then I just forget about some of the bills and my mailbox. But generally isn't an issue. But when you're six feet and 325 pounds, still you go running and eat, you might want to make sure you're you're both hydrated, and you're taking all your medications. So I can come off a lot probably spoken to doctors about going off you. But there's still a few that remain that the be part of the equation for me. And like I said, we're going into year three. So it is an ongoing process. And it is not going to happen overnight. I think that is one of the big things I will say about your one that I kind of regret is that you go through this major thing like a stroke, or a brain injury of any kind and you're left with some deficits. And medication, it's great getting stable, getting healthy. And you're on your way. As you're going, you know, doctors told me like, oh, just just start walking. Motherfucker, I'm still in a wheelchair, how am I going to start walking. But there's a lot of things you can do. That some people forget. And you don't even realize later, when you're doing that time. That is a bang, there's always something you should be doing, or may not feel like the most productive thing. But you'd be surprised. I think going back to your one. Like I said, it's about getting stable, or getting healthy. It's about changing habits are obviously the bigger deficits, like walking is a big thing for most people. That's where you might see the most progress is like bigger sort of deficits that you've left with there, you know, I was able to start walking depending on where the stroke happens if you have a stroke or any brain injury is what part of the brain is affected by his motor skills. So that is going to be the hardest thing for me. And that is be true. Something I'm working on as we're getting closer. But again, there's no magic pill. And I think for me, that's one of the big things that I I think I latched on to it, when you're going through this process to kinda like, hoping for sort of these miracles, because I do talk about them. They don't think they happen as often as people talk about. If they do happen, hate your lucky stars, there is no magic pill, there is a date, any pill that will erase the effects of stroke. So it's going to be a lot of hard work going to feel tireless and endless. And sometimes, often it's not linear. So, you know, X amount of hours. Again, it's not the same as a broken bone is this is not going to be a four to six week. Me it could be, but it's likely not going to it's not going to be linear. These are things that like, people mean to say, but they forget to say, so it's not linear. It's going to take some time. There is no magic pill. Another thing is aid plays a factor. But I will tell you, as somebody in the hospital who repeatedly said this, and I was told very often, oh, you're young, you'll bounce back. Okay, great. When does that bounce back and a half. Like, I remember specifically being in my room, at Brooks here in Jacksonville, Florida. Watching people that had his sad had his stroke, not too far off work, or even more recently than I did. And there would be like a 75 year old patient doing laps around the hallway. Without any assistance, you know, they were basically walking totally fine. It might have had some monitors, but they were they were they were walking. Maybe were wearing walking a marathon, they weren't walking five miles an hour's speed, but they were walking. And I was sitting there in my wheelchair after aid. When the hell is this bounce back supposed to happen? So I think are some things that got into my head where I was hoping these miracle pills or, or just sort of any of these stories that I've heard I've been, I was waiting so badly for it happened. The reality is, it may never happen. And so I think the sooner you wrap your head around that, you know, it's sort of prioritize in year one, like I said, there's a lot of things. There's a lot of overwhelm. That was really about assessing. Now, whether you're able to do it yourself or with somebody else's help, kind of big notes and make your own list of like, here's what's kind of my situation, here's where I want to make improvements. And list them out. And then kind of try to come up with a plan for how you make a little bit of progress each day. I know that's hard to hear in the beginning is you're like, wait, I was fine. Two weeks ago, how am I not fine. Two weeks later. That is something to deal with. That is that is one of the other hard parts. I remember walking into the hospital. December 21. Not really in good shape. But I walked into there under my own power as a bit of the hospital two days later have a stroke on December 23 2019. And ever, everything's good. Unfortunately, when everything changes like that, and you have a stroke, everything doesn't go back in place the way it did as you walked in there. Okay, so year one is a big one. I'm going to product kind of move along the next couple years. You guys you're one you want to assess things. mental standpoint. Take stock of what has changed, where you're hopeful, make progress. And that list really. If you're familiar with like project management or Kanban it's really just something you're constantly evaluating. You know, is this where you want to make progress this week? This month? I will say when you have a stroke, I was never great with those. I have gotten better with Bowles as a stroke sort of forced my hand to organize aspirin Help and suddenly reevaluate reassess my own things. I was always very good with that with other people but not so much myself. So yeah, cheap on up and keep asking yourself, Where can I improve what I want to improve when there are these who want to improve and you feel like it's time you might consider starting to do some research who was very helpful there are lots of things online lastly YouTubers now if you're still in therapies, as well there be occupational therapy work in a therapist, reassess. I think that's another big one. You're one you're going to see the biggest province changes, but I don't you're going to hear a lot of other things do like you only have four months you only have six months like you have. I'm going into year three and I'm still making progress that may not be the same for somebody who is 65 and has a stroke but I don't want you to get caught up in what other people say even myself like just assess your situation. Assess what where you're at and where you want to kind of keep progressing it is going to be a little slower as it gets longer but no, you're you're gonna 2021 was you're going into your one verb I guess your Do you have a 2021 I reassessed my goals where I was going I made progress in your you know your to started driving comfortable back to the gym you know and I I was able to make continued progress. I did go back I go back to rehab every almost every day did not go last year. I am back this year. I go last year because last year is year two and I wanted to see where I get out. Oh god in telethon I got into running I will remind everybody that I'm 643 hard drive by bounds I am not considered a runner by any definition. I don't like runner I don't wear runner clothing i i wear hoodies when I go running it's it's time i i am bigger than most left tackles in the NFL if you're not aware left tackle is one of the biggest football players on the field the fact that I am a bigger human being than the majority of NFL football players should give you a that's that's really just to let you know perspective or my perspective is coming from out how strange it might seem that I'm a runner now of offensive linemen are not known for their running abilities. They are not running back or not wide receiver they're not even a tight end they are big dudes that move big other big dudes so I'm very much on brand I am non traditional and the best sense possible. So again, last year, I made pretty good progress on my own I wanted to give myself time to figure out different things I took a vacation with my family last year got a telethon like I said started giving it running later in the year reassess business stuff that's my motto is kind of like I keep trying to figure out how to get better and I'm not saying that you shouldn't go to therapy every year it's just like I just I just didn't want to share I just want to see where I could go and how I can progress and I feel pretty good about I got the peloton after brushing that off as an activity of yours then you know like I said, just continue to do the work continuing to do research. Seeing if I can help myself and other people that's what got me into building community now. This is I feel like I'm on the way being even more helpful other people, but he will do the work myself. Yeah, and so. But I was not satisfied with where I got last year. So this year, I'm back in physical therapy, my team is back. I think part of the reason I knocked back physical therapy last year was because my physical therapist that I worked with, tirelessly since getting there in 2020. She was on maternity leave with, she had a baby girl. And so she's back, I'm back, we're figuring out how I can get better with running. Doing some still three years in doing some strengthening on the lower legs. Could be a little bit on my fault. But I had some medical medical issues that were lingering for a while. I've since been resolved. But I think that was part of the reason strengthening a bypass in particular, was slow. So again, I will remind you year one, you're going to probably see the biggest, significant changes, but only continue if he continues to put in the work. Now it won't be a straight line, it won't be to be as obvious or is clear as you would like to be, you know, be bought out as an hour, 2000 hour 10,000 hours like that. Not a thing, but I just don't keep your expectations low, I guess I'm saying keep your expectations low, because the work you put in doesn't necessarily work. I mean, eventually it will work out. But it may not be as quickly as, as might have happened before, or you might expect, I think is the way they're. So you know, again, everybody will tell you, it takes time, it is so true. is never what I wanted to hear. Now, because stroke is a really severe medical readiness, that that is going to have long term effects. And you're really trying to reverse out of long term effects. So again, these things can happen, or overnight, or kind of magically just caught up in the belief that it'll it'll perfectly work out for you or that if the amount of time this might be significantly longer than you think. I hear that all the time in business and in life and probably done any project of any kind, right your career. You've heard plan X amount of more time. And I think that is true here. But it is like just, it's just more, there is not a better way to say it. I don't think we just tried to set realistic expectations. Because sometimes, you know, when people are trying to be helpful and say positive, which is something that has changed in my life as I was not always positive Bali. Now people always say, Oh, yes, such a great outlook, because I've just been I've been I've just gotten to a point where I have realistic expectations. You know, great if things happen sooner or faster, they think they are going to happen. But that's not always the case and then doesn't always have an immediate impact. Like I said, 1000 hours? I don't know if that's true or not, in most cases, typically is but it's a long time to get 10,000 hours to on top. Yeah, I think the timetable is different for everybody. I think he definitely plays a factor. If a pre existing condition definitely play a factor. And, you know, it is a like I said it's over and over and over. It's a it's a long process, because a brain injury is not really the same thing as my friend say all broken bones are or are sort of the same. But generally speaking, there is a clear path with that with brain injury is very, very different. So I think as long as you keep your expectations sort of constantly reassess. SAS as the best thing to do have some long term goals, like if you're unable to walk, and you want to walk out a big goal, I think on things like that, you know, for me, I, I didn't focus on handwriting early on, I knew there are a lot of things that I could do differently. And with time and effort and work, you know, those things change, but I just, you do have to kind of assess because it's hard to do everything at once. I do this for I said this early in the podcast that no, you walk into the hospital where we don't, but chances are, if you've survived a stroke, you kind of remember the way things were. Logically in your head in my head, I thought everything would go back the way it was. But that's not the way it works, unfortunately. And he plays a huge factor. Preexisting conditions plays another factor. It stands to reason that if you're 37, you should theoretically be up and running pretty quickly. But you could also be 65 and up and running very quickly. It's just a real strange thing that you may not even realize if you're listening to this in your pocket, and you're in a hospital. I see this lot as my kids were pretty warm. My youngest was very young, when I had my stroke, I kind of equate my stroke to I was 37. You know, I had all my motor functions. And I quickly was cut down to the, at the time, my youngest was four. And I was brought quickly to reality. I noticed my son and I have similar motor skills and the has true since my stroke. My stroke happened in 37 years for that where he's now seven. And our motor skills are pretty much on par when it comes to handwriting and typing. Which is, you know, mildly funny, but super annoying. It's kind of like, we were buying Candyland. Over the weekend, I was sick. And I was like, ah, that's what the stroke is like, like when you get to the top of the line. And then you get go back to the bottom. But Candyland and you start over. Yeah, something's happened sooner and faster. But some things also take a real long time to get back. And frankly, you may never get it back. No matter how hard you try. That's, that's another difficult thing to overcome. So I think when it comes to how long does it take? absolutely, unequivocally annoying as all hell. People, myself included, will say it depends. However, I don't want to dissuade anybody. I won't sugarcoat it. As I promised, I wouldn't do that on his podcast. Definitely depends. I recommend keeping realistic expectations. I recommend reassessing constantly, whether that's weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, whatever. Oh, all all the above. Don't let other people get in your head. Whether it's positive or negative, I think, you know, take all the information, absorb it, and learn from others. There are plenty of good books or not as many podcasts. There's lots of good resources available on YouTube online. From your own teens. I'm sure there are great therapists, physical therapists, regular therapist OSFI, occupational therapists, speech therapists all across the country in the world. Take advantage of any and all resources that you can. But again, it's going to take time. Every human being is different. Every brain is different. Every brain injury is different. Yes, you know, there is no simple answer to how long does it take you? To be lucky. There are people I've seen that seem pretty good. On the other side, three months after they've had a stroke, like you had a stroke. I know that's not a great thing to say do another stroke survivor and I'm still like mesmerized by how fast they seem to have things together. They might have more hidden issues than you think. So just because somebody looks like they have together don't think they have it all together. Again, I will remind you please, please, please because I learned this lesson last week. Always check your medications. Always check with your doctors you know I got into the habit of just shoveling my pills in my mouth every day you know a lot of them I'm I'm on the way getting off of but some of them I may need for a couple more years and that's totally fine I'm fine with that. Remember check medications stay on top stuff stay on top of your own health and you know, don't take second chance for granted. It is not easy, but it is worthwhile. And you know I think that's that's really all I had sound on this episode. Again, the answer is really complex is super nuanced. These are the things that people don't actually tell you is that it's very nuanced and there are lots of factors that go into it. So when people say NS I hope you've gotten a little bit more of an indication introduction to why it ends because then answer on its own is really not under any buddy South elbow it is not Yeah, I believed you in the same spot you're in which is something I'm very much against you know, it'd be better than you found it kind of thing same thing with his answer is now I hope you know why it depends a little bit more I don't think I fully answered it in this 4040 minute episode but I I feel like we're on the way and again, I think yeah, we'll leave it there and fees if you found this podcast or or any other episodes and back back history of this podcast. If you wouldn't mind leaving your rating and review Begum pods now. Apple podcast, Spotify wherever you feel like keeping your review if you found this helpful if you'd like to hear more, I'd love to hear from you. We check the show notes again podcast on believable survivor.com. And again your ratings and are really appreciated and we'll see you next Time